Romance of the Fifth Great Shinobi War
by Sasori Kuro
Summary: An ancient powerful evil brings the great shinobi nations to the brink of all out war. Love rises to the challenge to save the world from this evil by bringing together unlikely heroes, strengthening weak individuals, and steeling the resolve of the world. Can love prevail against evil? NaruxHin OCxShiz OCxIno OCxTem OCxOC I know it is OC heavy but I write good OCs
1. Prelude

One year after Naruto's fight with Pein

Sasuke quietly followed his latest mentor through the dark winding halls to their latest goal. With Tobi's goals in shambles the man decided to fall back on his last resort. Sasuke knew Tobi was hiding something from him. Sasuke examined the walls of the hallways as they walked. At first he thought their was some foreign lighting all over the walls but after a closer look he realized they were all seals. The entire place was covered in seals and Sasuke could only imagine what was sealed within this ancient tomb.

"What are we doing in this tomb Tobi?" Sasuke asked again clearly agitated.

"I have told you," Tobi glared over his shoulder with a singular eye for just a second, "This is not a tomb. It is a prison for ultimate power and I seek to find this power so we can finally exact our revenge."

"What kind of power is it we are seeking here?" Sasuke gripped the hilt of his katana. Ever since Tobi's plans of controlling the world through the use of the tailed beasts had failed he had been chasing rumors of some ultimate power. The two of them had many tough fights before finally finding a key. Some strangely powerful guardians had been very reluctant to part with this key. The last one warned they were dooming mankind but Tobi paid no heed to babbling idiots.

"I don't know. I only know it is the greatest power ever seen on the face of this planet," Tobi cackled as they had finally reached a door. Sasuke leered at the door. It was also covered in intricate seals with a small spot for a key. Sasuke sighed. This had better not be some wild goose chase. Tobi pulled out the key and unlocked the large stone door. The door unlocked with ease and began slowly shifting before sliding into the wall. The two nuke-nin slowly entered the abysmally dark room.

Once they reached the center black flames lit all around the room providing an eerie glow. The room was still horribly dimly lit but in the center was a strange stone box with chains wrapped around it. All of it was also covered in seals. The complexity of the seals were insane. It went beyond any level of seal Sasuke had ever witnessed before to include the seal that imprisoned the nine-tailed fox.

"This doesn't look like a good idea," Sasuke warned pulling his sword from the scabbard.

"Do you want to destroy Konoha or not?" Tobi growled, "Now hurry up and destroy these chains." Sasuke pulled out his katana and charged it with lightning. He then proceeded to lift the katana above his head staring at the chain he was about to cut. Every bone in his body screamed at him to turn and run. To get out of there. That what he was about to do was horrible. Sasuke shook his head clearing such foolish thoughts out of his head. If he wanted to destroy Konoha he would have to start by destroying this chain.

Sasuke brought his sword down in a powerful strike. As soon as his sword struck the chain it snapped and a powerful wave of energy knocked Sasuke from his feet. He ended up crashing onto his ass as the rest of the chains began heating up until they glowed red. One by one they began melting into puddles of molten metal. Then the top of the stone box exploded off. Shortly after that a dark extremely dense charka began permeating out of the top of the box and creeping along the walls. The chakra surged into seals destroying them.

Sasuke gasped as the chakra swarmed over his body. The power was unbelievable. He could feel such raw energy enveloping him, searching through him. Soon enough the seals that enclosed the room were gone and the chakra pulled together above the box.

"Yes! This is it Sasuke! Can you feel that power! This is the moment our victory begins!" Tobi cackled madly. Tobi's evil laughter was cut off as killer intent filled the room.

"**Who is it that is foolish enough to free the mighty Akuma!**" A demonic voice boomed seeming to originate from the center of the room. Tobi seemed thoroughly surprised. He thought he was simply releasing a great power to use as he saw fit. Not an entity. Sasuke watched as the black chakra massed above the stone box until it slowly began forming a massive face of solid chakra. The face was horned and terrifying.

"It is I Tobi! And you are mine!" Tobi focused his sharingan on the mass of dark energy and then unleashed its power of control. After a few seconds the mass of chakra let out a demonic cackle.

"**Foolish mortal! You think you can control Akuma with your puny eyes! Akuma should banish you for your insolence, but Akuma is a kind god. You may serve as part of the legion as payment for freeing the great Akuma,**" The dark energy announced. Suddenly raw chakra lashed out at Tobi from the great mass of energy. Tobi had been expecting this and phased out into his personal realm bringing Sasuke with him.

"Well that didn't go as planned," Tobi muttered dejectedly.

"You fool! What have we just done?" Sasuke demanded.

"I have no idea," Tobi answered honestly as he brought his hand to his chin to think. A demonic cackling brought him up short though.

"**Foolish mortal! There is no escaping the mighty Akuma!,**" the sky boomed as two massive hands made from pure dark chakra descended from the sky out of seemingly nowhere. The hands grabbed the two easily and pulled them out of Tobi's realm back into the prison they had just left. "**Now Tobi! You will serve as Akuma's vessel and join the legion.**" Sasuke watched in horrors as Tobi began writhing in pain. Sasuke could see all of Tobi's chakra and energy get pulled from his body. Even his very soul was pulled and soon it was suck into the swirling mass of dark energy in the center of the room. Then the mass of energy shot down the throat of the now deceased Tobi.

The body writhed on the ground as more and more energy flooded it until soon it lay still. Sasuke began inching his was back to the door in an attempt to escape when the body suddenly sat up and fixed him with a glare.

"**Sasuke Uchiha!**" Akuma boomed, "**Your soul is dark. It it pure. Akuma can feel you hate of being betrayed. Akuma feels your anger, your desire for revenge. If you serve Akuma well he will grant you your greatest wish. The total annihilation of Konohagakure.**"

Sasuke considered the offer but he did not like the thought of becoming a part of this mass of energy. Akuma suddenly began cackling again.

"**No Sasuke. Akuma has no need for you to join the legion. Akuma has other needs from you. ****Akuma needs to feed. Akuma needs a great war and you will aid Akuma in causing this war. We ****will also need an army to take control of this world. Help me with this task and I promise you the total destruction of Konohagakure,**" Akuma slowly walked towards Sasuke.

"And where will we find an army powerful enough to do such a thing?" Sasuke scoffed.

"**Why Sasuke. Akuma had the legion. All Akuma needs is vessels to put them in**," said the evil entity.

"Vessels?" Sasuke asked confused.

"**Living mortals will suffice,**" Akuma explained.

"How many?" Sasuke began to see the promise of such a powerful ally. If ever he could feel his desire of destroying Konohagakure coming to fruition it was now.

"**Thousands,**" Akuma cackled. Sasuke's visibly blanched at the number. That was quite an order to fill but Sasuke knew exactly where they could begin. Otogakure was still leaderless.

"I agree to you terms Akuma," Sasuke said dropping to a knee before the entity.

"**Excellent! While we bide our time massing our numbers we will begin gaining control of the criminal network in this world. Once we control them all, we will sow poverty and begin setting the world at each other's throats. The war will provide Akuma with sustenance to allow tears to open in the fabric of the realm so Akuma may bring forth more legions. The world will be ours!**" Akuma roared shaking the walls of the very room they were standing in.

"And what happens after you control the world?" Sasuke asked.

"**Akuma will move onto the next world to feed,**" the being replied simply, "**And then you may have this world.**" Sasuke's eyes grew hungry at the prospect. The being was offering the power to destroy the village he hated and establish a new rule of the entire world under the leadership of the Uchiha clan.

"I know just the place to begin great Akuma. Otogakure is leaderless and will provide the beginning of the vessels needed for our goals," Sasuke stood up and looked Tobi's body in the eye as it regarded him.

"**Excellent. Lead the way boy,**" Akuma ordered, "**We have much to do.**"


	2. Chapter One The Rock

Two years after Naruto's fight with Pein.

Rennik

The wolf-nin sniffed the salty air with displeasure. Today was vengeance day. The world had gone crazy in the past year. Otogakure started a massive arms race. Somehow the small weak shinobi nation had managed to gather enough strength to begin its violent expansion. Oto mercilessly invaded numerous surrounding countries and minor hidden villages like a tsunami. The nations fell with such speed and ferocity that it shocked the world. Somehow with every nation Oto conquered their numbers would only double. All spies that were hidden among the Sound village had stopped reporting at the beginning of the strange chapter in this world's history. Oto's invasions only increased tensions among the other nations. Iwa began its own aggressive expansion campaign seeking to reclaim territories it had once held during the Third Great Shinobi War. It had been successful although no where near as successful as Oto had been. Kumogakure followed suit invading its neighboring country and fortifying it to prevent war in its home turf.

Once all the neutral nations had been swallowed by the three great shinobi villages. They joined together to form the Northern Alliance. This placed Sunagakure and Konohagakure, which were both still trying to rebuild after the last war, on the ropes. The two powerful villages immediately sought to make Kiri their ally but as of yet, the Mist had denied them. There had been no sense to get involved. Kiri was an island nation and had a navy more powerful then all of the other village's combined. Kiri had thought itself untouchable. Then Oto emerged with its own massive navy and began claiming neutral island countries slowly drawing a noose around the Mist's neck. Kiri sat by and watched Oto make its moves still not interested in the conflict. Oto saw this as a weakness and together with Iwa began its invasion of water country. The invasion was violently repulsed causing heavy casualties on all sides. Since then Kiri had been on the aggressive. Kiri reclaimed its lost territory with ease.

To make matters in the world more complicated a criminal organization known as the Shinjike-to also appeared out of thin air just under a year ago. In a matter of seven months the Shinjike-to had managed to completely snuff out both the Triads and the Yakuza. Once they were in complete control of the criminal monopoly they exploited the economy causing widespread economic instability. The Shinjike-to even had its claws in Kiri. A fact which disgusted Rennik.

The wolf-nin cleared his mind. There was no sense in trying to rationalize everything that had happened in the last year. Especially not while Vengeance Day was at hand. Rennik adjusted his dark crimson cloak checking the pockets to make sure his weapons were all ready to go at a moment's notice. The waves crashed around him soaking into his long silver hair. No longer were they fighting to reclaim lost territory. Today they took the fight to the neutral islands Oto had conquered and Kiri's war machine wouldn't stop until complete control of the seas rested in its hands.

Rennik unsheathed his family sword. The fang of the Ookami. The sword was made of chakra infused white steel, finished neatly with a simple crimson hilt to match his cloak. Rennik was the last surviving member of his clan and he fully planned to bring his clan back into a place of honor. Rennik heard his ear piece cackle to life as the massive ships slowly enclosed on the island. It would be a hard fast landing but everything was planned to the second.

"One minute to disembark," A voice cackled through the ear piece. Rennik glanced around at his comrades. Most were green genin from Kiri's massive conscription. Most of them had never tasted their own blood let alone spilled the blood of another man. Most of them wouldn't even make it to the beach. Rennik looked at the platoon leader. A grizzled veteran of the last Great Shinobi War. Their task was simple that day. Establish a foothold on the beach. Once they had done that strike-nin would make their way to the beach and assist in destroying every last enemy on the island. Each shinobi in that ship had mulled over the briefing they had received the previous night. Intel suggested the island to hold a significant number of Iwa-nin. To their luck most of the enemy were raw genin as well, but those same genin had no doubt already spilled blood taking the island the first time.

Rennik turned his attention to his remaining squad. One of his members had been lost when Oto invaded Water Country. Rennik still regretted not being there to protect him. Only Shi and Renga remained. One was a simple sixteen year old girl with a huge crush and the other was a large bruiser of a boy. Both had taken quite well to the sword, both seeking to emulate their sensei. The only thing that worried Rennik was Shi's crush. It was on him. Feelings could get you killed during combat and Rennik prayed a silent prayer she could keep her head straight. This would be their first real battle as a team.

The two genin's inexperience was apparent. Shi was shaking in fear and Renga had thrown up twice already. Rennik placed his hand on each of their shoulders.

"Just keep your head down and listen to your orders Shi," Rennik assured, "and Renga don't be afraid to use your muscle. You two stick close to me and remember everything I taught you and I promise we will make it off this rock."

A few words of encouragement could go a long way. The girl immediately steeled her nerves and hardened her resolve at the kind words from her idol. Renga gained a new face made of steel as he prepared for his first battle.

"Dismount!" A voice suddenly roared over the headset. Rennik and thirty other shinobi jumped off the large ship that had transported them to their target. They hit the surface of the water and began storming across it to the tiny island. Rennik fell in right behind his platoon leader with his own squad of genin right behind him. Rennik could make out small figures on the island. They were dug in good.

"Two hundred meters!" The voice once again roared over the headset. The figures on the island began increasing in size and Rennik knew the shit storm was about to begin.

"One hundred- Shit!" The voice boomed over the comms. A wave of stone and kunai flew from the Iwa defensive line. "Shield-nin!" Several chunin maneuvered to the front of the column and summoned water shields large enough to protect the squads. While they were large enough, one wasn't strong enough. A boulder slammed through the water shield of one of the chunin and the rest faltered. The boulder that broke the shield slammed into the chunin who couldn't hold it back pummeling him beneath the waves. Immediately behind the boulder surged a torrent of kunai. In seconds three genin sunk beneath the waves covered in kunai.

Then the beach was under their feet. Kunai and flying rock swarmed across the battle space. A few particularly large boulders rested across the beach and it was behind these that the Kiri-nin sought cover.

"Move! Clear an opening for the strike-nin!" The platoon commander roared over the comms. Rennik began forming several hands signs for the Water Style: Liquid Bullet technique.

Rennik peeked his head around the boulder and let them fly. A flurry of liquid bullets spewed from his mouth at the nearest group of Iwa-nin. He was not alone in this endeavor as many other chunin to jonin level shinobi also laid down their own cover with whatever techniques were at their disposals. Kunais flew across the battle-space and rock met water as the many jutsu's clashed. Under the cover of the powerful Kiri-nin the genin made their advance charging forward towards the Iwa position.

The genin made it to the Iwa-nin trying to pin them down with only two casualties. Maybe today wouldn't be such a bloody day after all. Rennik and the higher ranked shinobi entered the fray and what entailed was a blood bath for the Iwa shinobi. Soon the blood bath turned into a route with the Iwa forces turning tail.

"Move! Pursue them! Take no survivors!" The platoon commander once again roared into the comms. Rennik's squad fell in behind the others, chasing after the retreating Iwa-nin. Then Rennik's ears picked up on cracking in the rocks around them.

"No!" Rennik screamed but it was too late as rocks began pelting them from all sides. The ground cracked and crumbled dropping a whole squad into the ground. Rennik was blasted off his feet as a stone the size of a fist glanced the side of his head.

"Ambush!" The platoon leader cried over the comms as another squad was cut down in the sudden onslaught. Then a deafening crack was heard from somewhere off behind Rennik's squad. Rennik already knew what the sound was. As his squad turned they found the ships they arrived on locked in a desperate battle with a swarm of Iwa merchant ships. That would mean no reinforcing strike-nin.

Rennik looked to his platoon commander for answers.

"Sir!" Rennik roared over the deafening roar of high level jutsus. The platoon commander hardly registered him. They were sitting ducks. They were practically in the open with no cover. One of their men were dropping dead every ten heartbeats. Rennik grabbed the platoon commander's arm. "SIR! We have to get moving!"

"The strike-nin," the platoon commander mumbled.

"They're not coming sir! We are on our own! We're gonna die out here!" Rennik yelled at the man. The commander seemed to shake himself from his daze.

"You're right. Rennik take your squad and-" The platoon commander dropped to the ground with a kunai firmly lodged in his temple. War was hell. Even the most powerful shinobi could be killed by a genin with a kunai in the chaos of battle. All it took was a bit of misfortune. It was moments like these that separated the men from the boys. It was moments like these where one man could really make a difference and today Rennik was that man. The wolf-nin let out an inhuman howl ripping his katana from his sheath. Then Rennik bounded over the rock he had been using as cover and charged.

Kunai and boulders immediately surged toward the exposed shinobi but Rennik did not move as they expected. He charged right down their throats swatting kunai out of the way and slashing boulders in half as he stormed across no man's land. The Kiri-nin dazzled by the sudden display of ferocity soon took up their own arms and followed him in. The Iwa-nin never expected such determination and once the enraged Kiri-nin were upon them another bloodbath ensued. In fact it turned out that the ambush was Iwa's last ditch effort to hold back the island invasion. The Iwa-nin threw down their arms surrendering to the unstoppable Kiri onslaught but too much blood had already been spilled. The Kiri-nin cut down every last man, woman, boy, and girl. This was a moment many of them would regret later on, but a moment that was unavoidable.

Rennik looked around at the remaining members of the strike force. What he saw didn't even begin surprise him. Only a handful remained. Of the thirty shinobi that has left the ship only three were left. A squad leader like Rennik, and to his relief both Shi and Renga. Rennik no longer saw the twinkle of innocence in their eyes. That twinkle of innocence now belonged to this island forever.

"We did it!" Announced Renga happily.

"No," Rennik snapped before the happiness spread, "There are still three Oto-nin on this island to contend with. Our mission is not accomplished until they are defeated, now lets move. Tactical spacing." Rennik began advancing up the small hill in the center of the island with the remaining three shinobi in tow.

The further the team ascended the hill the louder Rennik could feel his nerves scream. Every hair on the back of his neck stood on end. Every emotion instinct he had told him to turn around. It was that feeling you get when you know you are in the presence of evil. When Rennik glanced back at his companions pride swelled up in his chest. There was no sign of fear in any of their eyes as they followed their leader.

Rennik's nostrils flared. With his wolf-like sense of smell, Rennik picked up on a subtle scent through the dense foliage of the jungle. It was a scent he couldn't place, but one that would stick with him for the rest of his life. The team reached a small clearing at the crest of a hill. Well a clearing for a jungle at any rate. There were no longer tree trunks everywhere but above them the sky was obstructed from view by the dense canopy. Rennik glanced around at the his surroundings. According to his reporting this is where the three sound-nin were supposed to have holed up but they were no where in sight.

The distinct crack of a whip caused Rennik to spin around. The last surviving jonin was dangling off the ground a few inches with a whip of barbed wire wrapped around his throat. Rennik's first instinct was to find the attacker. The barbed whip descended from somewhere deep in the canopy above them leaving that out of the question. Rennik immediately charged with his katana in an attempt to cut his comrade free. As soon as he had brought his weapon to bear a powerful tug from the other end of the whip snapped the mist-nin's neck. Another tug sent the wire back into the tree tops.

Rennik thought to pursue the barbed wire but it could potentially be a trap and leaving his squad behind would surely mean their demise. Feelings of hate, anger, and killing intent poured from the canopy rolling over the Kiri-nin in waves.

"Oh, let's enjoy their suffering," A raspy female voice whispered in the canopy. The genin with him could not hear like a wolf the way Rennik could leaving his team at a slight disadvantage. Rennik tightened his grip around the hilt of his katana relying on his senses to protect his team.

"Yes!" A male voice whispered back, "It has been a while since my last feast." Three figures dropped from the canopy into the clearing ahead of Rennik's team. Rennik began sizing up his opponents in preparation for the coming battle. On the left of the three was a bruiser of a man. The man easily weighed twice Rennik's weight in dense muscle. The spiked knuckles tipped off his fighting style and the lack of a vest labeled him as a genin. On the right of the group was a woman with filthy brown hair. Her skin was marred with burns and scars. Her face was a mess of destroyed tissue. Disturbingly her weapon of choice appeared to be the barbed whip that had just killed his comrade. The whip had no handle and instead the woman had the slack coiled around a blood drenched arm. She was another genin.

The individual in the center caused Rennik more distress. On his belt were four human skulls. The jacket he wore marked him a jonin making him the true threat of the group. The part about the three individuals Rennik faced down that chilled him to the bone were the eyes. Each one of them had solid blood red eyes. As Rennik formulated attack strategies in his head he felt Shi brush past him and charge the enemy with her wakazashi out.

"I know how you love the ladies Kushin," The jonin announced, "She is yours."

"Thank you Dokuro," Kushin brought her whip back and snapped it with inhuman speed. The whip snaked towards a surprised Shi but the flesh it bit into was Rennik's arm. Rennik immediately gave the whip a powerful tug. The woman on the other end didn't even budge.

"Oh, how cute," The woman murmured, "He is trying to protect her." The woman tugged back on the whip sending Rennik sprawling. Rennik felt his arm get tugged out of its socket from the force of the blow. Rennik immediately cut the whip with his katana as he scramble to his feet. This fight was already turning sour.

"Shi! Stay back!" Rennik warned as Kushin uncoiled more of the wire from her arm to replace the part Rennik had cut.

"Kobushi, you can take the hero. I will take care of the big baby. I can't wait to hear them scream," Dokuro cackled moving forward. Rennik immediately rushed to take block his advance. Kobushi intercepted Rennik's attempt to block his teammate and began throwing a flurry of punched at Rennik. The punches were inhumanly fast forcing Rennik on the defensive. Rennik blocked the punches with his katana but they met hands of steel.

The crack of a whip broke Rennik's concentration. Shi was caught around the ankle by the barbed whip which swiftly planted her on her ass. Shi frantically slashed at the wire with her wakazashi but she was already being pulled towards Kushin. Rennik felt anger begin to flood his system but fought hard to keep it down. Rennik desperately tried to fight his way towards Shi, but was continually blocked by Kobushi's presence. Rennik flew into a frenzy of aggressive strikes and was rewarded with a small opening. His katana flashed as crimson sprayed into the air. Kobushi's arm was cut cleanly off at the elbow. Rennik swept the shocked Oto-nin off his feet and made a mad dash for Shi.

Rennik slashed the barbed wire whip again freeing Shi. The wolf-nin picked her up off the ground setting her on her feet. The wire was still dug in around Shi's leg much to her discomfort. A wave of heat hit Rennik's back as the air was pierced with a blood curdling scream. Rennik had forgotten about the jonin of the group until now which proved to be an unforgivable error. Dokuro was currently roasting Renga alive. Rennik wasted no time in grabbing Shi by the collar and charging at Dokuro. Kushin coiled her whip for another strike, but a well placed kunai from Shi forced her to dodge.

Dokuro canceled his jutsu and jumped back to his own comrades to judge the outcome of the first engagement. The sound-nin had managed to critically wound one of the Kiri-nin, dislocated the arm of the leader, and inflict minor damage on another and all at the low cost of Kobushi's arm. A fountain of water drowned the flames covering Renga. Rage flooded Rennik's system. Hate, anger, and the desire to kill overwhelmed his senses. The enemy had hurt Shi and possibly killed Renga adding to the fact that he had already lost a member of his team in previous conflicts. This time there would be no holding back.

"Shi! Get take Renga and get out of here!" Rennik roared as fur slowly began covering his body. Rennik fought against the anger to buy time for his team to clear out. They had never seen this side of him and he didn't want them to. The last time he had ever let anyone see this side, they had died.

"No Renni-kun! I want to fight by your side! I want to die by your side!" Shi pleaded falling to her knees. Rennik was losing the battle against his temper and could feel the changes in his physiology begin.

"Shi, run now or you won't recognize my side anymore," Rennik growled as his bones began morphing and cracking. His canines immediately lengthened as did his face. His legs grew in size tearing his pants.

"Renni-kun," Shi whispered as tears rolled down her face, "If I don't get the chance to see you again... I love you." Shi stepped forward kissing the half monster of a man on the cheek. Once the peck was done Shi wasted no time in grabbing Renga and tearing ass away from the coming battle.

"Mmm, such sweet sorrow," Kushin nearly moaned, "Absolutely delicious. Shall I block their escape, Dokuro?"

"No, let's deal with this fool first," Dokuro replied cracking his knuckles, "Besides, I enjoy the hunt. Kobushi how is that arm?"

"It feels so free," Kobushi sighed in pleasure as tentacles slithered from the stump of his arm. Rennik had enough of this sick group of sound-nin, his team was clear and it was time to unleash his own monster. The wolf-nin unclasped his crimson cloak allowing it to fall to the ground, revealing a bare chest. Rennik had planned ahead that unleashing his kekkai genkai may be the only way to victory. The pain throughout his body intensified as Rennik became drunk off blood-lust. Thick fur began covering his body as he grew in size. The end result of his transformation was somewhere between a wolf an a man.

This form was the Ookami secret weapon. Still it was dangerous. Rennik was fully aware of his surroundings but lack any control over his body. The beast was in control and he was simply along for the ride. The beast fearlessly stared down the sound-nin. The tentacles snaking from Kobushi's stump caused Rennik concern but the beast hardly even registered they existed. These Oto fools were his prey and that is all that mattered.

"Well, now things have become interesting," Dokuro commented. The beast took that as his cue to take a menacing step forward, testing his enemies resolve. As soon as he did Kushin cracked her whip slashing the beast across its chest. The beast growled as the cut rapidly began healing. Unfettered Kushin cracked her whip again. The barbed wire whip flared out at the beast like an angry viper striking its prey. The beast learned fast and sprung into action snatching the whip out of the air with his hand. The whip bit deep into its flesh but the beast merely growled as it wrapped the whip around its hand. The barbs ripped flesh as the beast ferociously pulled on the whip. Kushin was immediately pulled off her feet this time. The sound-nin clawed desperately at the whip as the beast reeled her in like a fish. Her efforts proved futile due to the tactical error of wrapping the whip around her arm.

"Help me fools!" Kushin screamed as she was dragged towards the ravenous beast. Her companions merely smirked interested in the turn of events. They cared nothing for another soul in the legion. They wanted to feed of the rage of the beast. Within seconds the beast had fully reeled in his victim. Once Kushin was within his grasp he jumped atop of her straddling her body. There was no escape for her. The beast roared a savage roar as it unleashed a flurry of lightning fast claws, fists, and elbows on the head of Kushin. In a matter of seconds all that was left of Kushin's head was mush.

The beast's ears twitched as he heard shuffling from the two remaining shinobi. The beast rolled to the side in a heartbeat as a wave of searing heat engulfed the body of Kushin, disintegrating it. The beast growled as it charged Dokuro, the man who unleashed the attack. The jonin was surprised by the beast's situational awareness and speed. Kobushi was more prepared and lashed out with his tentacled arm tripping the beast. The wolf-nin dropped into a somersault coming out of it in time to narrowly avoid a ground crushing stomp from Kobushi.

The tentacles seemed to have a mind of their own as they snaked out catching one of the beast's wrists. The beast sought to immediately strike out with his free fist but Kobushi caught it. The beast pulled his head back. Kobushi pulled his own head back to avoid what would no doubt be a powerful headbutt. This proved to be a fatal mistake as the beast's jaws closed around his throat. Razor sharp canines dug into the flesh of the mans neck severing arteries and gripping the jugular. Then the beast pulled back with all his might ripping the front half of Kobushi's neck off. The bruiser of a man dropped to the deck.

In its blood frenzy the beast had neglected the most sinister threat, the man behind him. Dokuro brought his katana down into the shoulder of the beast digging in deep. The beast let out a blood curdling roar as it spun around knocking lose Dokuro's grip on the katana embedded deep into his shoulder. The beast ripped the katana from its shoulder and used its good arm to grip it. The wound would normally be crippling but the beast was strong and had extreme regenerative ability, though it came at an extremely steep cost of chakra. The beast knew it had made its mistake and needed to finish the fight quickly in order to have time to feed.

Charging forward the beast unleashed expert lightning fast slashes at Dokuro. Dokuro proved agile, but his speed could not match the beasts. The beast successfully chopped off both arms and Dokuro's head in three heartbeats. Dokuro fell lifeless to the deck and the beast had one. The beast howled to the heavens in victory. A shuffling of feet from behind him snapped him from his blood-lust. The beast spun around to find Kobushi trudging towards him. Kobushi's head flapped down his back forgotten by the new head attached to a tentacle coming from his neck.

The beast wasted no time in throwing his body into demented form of Kobushi. The beast slashed and struck at the form of Kobushi over and over again until tentacles wrapped around his arms pulling him off of the demon-nin. The tentacles belonged to Dokuro who seemed to have the same regenerative properties as Kobushi. The beast wasted no time in regaining its footing and slashing the legs out from under Dokuro. Tentacles immediately sprouted in place of the missing appendages. The beast slashed the tentacles to pieces and began unleashing savage blow after savage blow finally choosing to drop the useless sword. The battle went back and forth for several minutes, but eventually the beast had beaten both of his opponents into piles of formless flesh.

Victory was the wolf-nin's. The beast relinquished it weary control back to Rennik. Just when the wolf-nin was about to let out his cheer of victory he felt himself choking as tentacles sprouted from his throat. They snaked out of his ears and his nose. He was becoming the monsters.

Five years after Naruto defeated Pein

Rennik woke up thrashing in a cold sweat.

"Shh, Renni-kun," whispered a female voice, "It's was just a night terror. It's okay." The woman soothingly rubbed his chest as reality came back to Rennik.

"Sorry, Shi," Rennik murmured running his hand through his long silvery hair.

"Same dream again?" Shi asked knowingly. This was a common occurrence but nowhere a common as it once had been.

"Yeah, we were back on that island..." Rennik sighed shaking the last remnants of the night terror from his head.

"Renni-kun, that battle is over and won. If you hadn't been there that day no one would have made it off that island. You saved Renga and I's lives. You're a hero now! The Hero of Kirigakure! It was you that took control of every island in the seas. It was you that crushed Oto's fleet at the battle of Omi. It was you the Lord Commander of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist that revived that order and made it into the most elite special forces in the shinobi world. Without you Renni-kun was may all have become demons like those things we fought," Shi assured. She idolized Rennik. After dealing with the monstrosities he had on that island he made it his personal goal to remove any possible threat Oto posed against Kiri. He took Renga and herself under his wing teaching them the ways of the sword making them the first two honorary recruits. It was because of him that Oto suffered its first major defeats and ended up getting pushed out of the seas all the way back to the continent. Rennik would have taken it further still if the Mizukage hadn't signed a non aggression pact with Oto.

"You really are so sweet Shi," Rennik said cupping her cheek, "I'm sorry I can't love you the same way you love me."

"It's okay wolfy," Shi leaned forward kissing his soft lips, "I have already decided that I will spend every second I can with you until you either finally quit resisting and marry me, or you move on. I know I will regret every second I lose if I don't." Rennik stuck his bottom lip out in a pouting fashion. "Now why don't you lay back and let me help you forget all about that nasty little dream," Shi whispered kissing her way down his neck.


End file.
